Avoid Processed Foods For A Leaner Fitter Body

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Fats have got a bad press. They are demonized and many diets will recommend that you cut them out. But your body needs a certain amount of fat to function like a well serviced machine and fat is vital for your overall health. Researchers tell us that your cells are made up of one main component and guess what that is – FAT ! But of course there are good fats and bad fats. Let us get the bad fats out of the way first. How come these bad fats are no good? Well, they do not allow all those cells to perform properly and therefore your body has to work overtime to keep healthy and stave off nasty diseases which begin to plague as we get older. I am talking about heart disease and diabetes and strokes as well as cancer. Then your body will not function as well for building muscle and burning off fat. What sort of foods contain these bad fats? All those biscuits, cakes, cereals, fried foods and snacks which are heavily processed. Now, if you eat the good fats, then your body is going to work much more efficiently because they are are also going to kick in to optimize hormone production which are so essential for muscle gain and fat loss. They also have another vital role to play and that is they allow your body to make use of all the vitamins and minerals you eat.
Lots of dieticians will tell you to cut down on fat. They will also try to convince you that a low fat diet is the answer to all your prayers for a long life free of health problems and above all for your weight loss programs. But get this – if you cut down on any one essential nutrient such as fat, carbs or protein- you are your own worst enemy and you are not doing your body any favours. You need all those macronutrients for a lean healthy body which will never suffer from any nasty disease. One famous researcher has dome some work on Pacific islanders who consume great quantities of fat, mostly coconut fat – up to 65% -75% of their total calories. This high fat diet has NOT caused any degenerative diseases among them. There is practically no obesity and heart disease is at an incredible low. Look at the Eskimos who consume up to 75% of fat mainly in the form of whale blubber, seal fat and fish. They too show that they live much longer than us and have a very low incidence of heart disease and obesity.

So we have lots and lots of examples of populations all round the world living a long healthy life, yet consuming large quantities of fat. It seems to me some doctors and dieticians are ignoring the fact that not all fats are bad ! So, the good fats have not had a good press. That is a shame. And we are still bombarded with advice about cutting down on fat yet all the fast food joints in the nation together with drugstores, restaurants and delis are still full of processed foods with those nasty fats inside them ! I am not saying that you should go on a high fat diet but you need to keep your eyes open and your wits about you. If you are an active individual and not a couch potato, then you do not have to worry about eating natural fats as long as you stay within your correct calorie intake. In addition, if you are not cutting down on carbs or protein for energy and muscle repair respectively, then you will have nothing to worry about. Look at the list below of the healthiest fats and the killer ones that you should avoid as your life will depend on it !

Here are the good fats to go for:-

Coconut fat: Coconut fat is approximately 92% saturated fat, yet oddly enough, it is a healthy natural fat. The health benefits of coconut fat lie in its composition of approximately 65% medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Specifically, about 50% of coconut fat is a MCT called lauric acid, which has very potent anti-microbial properties which boost your immune system. Coconut oil is also an excellent cooking oil for stir-frying, etc. since saturated fats are much more stable and do not oxidize like polyunsaturated oils when exposed to heat and light, which creates damaging free radicals. Try fresh coconut, organic coconut milk and virgin coconut oil.

Dark, bittersweet chocolate (>70% cocoa): Look for a quality dark chocolate that lists its cocoa content between 70%-80%. A dark chocolate with cocoa content in this range will contain mostly cocoa and very little sugar. Do not forget that although dark chocolate can be a healthy treat, it is still calorie dense, so keeping it to just a square or two is a good idea.
Look out for high fat fish such as wild salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, etc. These are great sources of omega 3.
Nuts (any and all - walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamias, etc.): Nuts are great sources of healthy unprocessed fats as well as minerals and other trace nutrients. Macadamias, almonds, and cashews are great sources of monounsaturated fats, while walnuts are a good source of unprocessed polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3’s). Go for roasted nuts rather than those cooked in oil.

Here are the deadly ones to avoid!
Hydrogenated oils (trans fats): These are industrially produced chemically altered oils subjected to extremely high pressure and temperature, with added industrial solvents such as hexane for extraction, and have a metal catalyst added to promote the artificial hydrogenation, followed by bleaching and deodorizing agents…..and somehow the FDA still allows this crap to pass as food. These oils aren’t even worthy of your lawnmower, much less your body! They’ve been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more.
Refined oils: Even if the oils are not hydrogenated, most oils on your supermarket shelves are refined, even most of the so called “healthy” canola oils. Even most refined oils still undergo the high temperature, high pressure, solvent extraction, bleaching, and deodorizing processes. Anything labelled vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, and even many canola oils have been damaged by this refining process. This damages the natural structure of the fats, destroys natural antioxidants, creates free radicals, and produces a generally unhealthy product. Take note that the explosion of heart disease in the middle of the 20th century coincides quite nicely with the rapid increase in the use of hydrogenated and refined oils in the food supply at that time.
Avoid like the plague any fried foods such as French fries, donuts and fried chicken just to mention a few.
Once food such as milk is pasteurised it is also homogenized it poses a real danger once it gets inside your body! Unfortunately, you will find it almost impossible to find raw milk in the US unless you personally know a farmer. Check out realmilk.com for more info on the benefits of raw milk and to find out if it’s available near you. As an alternative, cultured dairy products like yogurt have at least had beneficial microorganisms added back to them making them better for you. Realistically, since you probably won’t find raw milk, sticking to skim milk is the best option. If you use butter for cooking, cultured organic butter is the best option.
I hope this article has shed some light on the truth about dietary fats and made you realize their importance in a healthy diet.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Robert Locke is a fitness writer in Wellness. Visit to receive your own personalized metabolic rate calculator as well as 4 secret hard-body workout routines - both FREE. Click on the Truth About Abs.

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